Fracture bed



5 Sheets-Sheet l H. D.y POWNALL FRACTURE-BED Filed June 14, 1926 April 16, 1929.

plil v16, 1929. H D POWNALL l 1,709,153

FRACTURE BED Filed June 14, i926 asneetS-sheet 5 Patented Apr.' 16, 1929.

' UNITED STATES- HENRY D. POWNALL, OE CANTON, 03.10.

rmcrunn BED.

Application tiled June 1.4,

The invention relates to fracture beds for y use in hospitals and the like, and more particularly for the use of patients suffering with one or more fractures in one or both Heretofore a patient having one or more leg fractures, when confined to a bed of the usual type, has found it very diilicult to rest comfortably, due to the diiiculty in moving the fractured members and coincidental diili- Y culties have been encountered in nursing and treating the patient.

,The foregoing difliculties in making the patient comfortable and in nursing and treating him have been marked when one leg has been affected, and in the case when both legs are fractured, the diiliculties are greatly enhanced.

The objects of the present invention are to '20 provide a fracture bed having cooperating means which enable the. positioning and adjustment of a patients' fractured members and the remainder of his body in desired relationships with each other, and adapted -for 25 the patients comfort and ease of nursing and treatment.

These objects `are attained by the use of a construction and arrangement which, in general terms may include a stationary top 3o frame secured as at the top ends of the bed corner posts, a movable crane frame below the top frame and movably supported there-y from, astretcher adjustably supported'below' the crane frame and normally resting upon the bed mattress, a plurality .of slings for the fractured members and other parts of the patients body movably supported vfrom the crane frame and intermediate the crane `frame and the stretcher, a back rest hinged to the Stretcher frame and adjustably supported from the crane frame, and means for controlling and moving the foregoing crane frame, slings, and back rest, some -of the 4means being operable by the patient. d preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in whichl Figure l is a side elevation of the improved fracture bed, the'adjustable leg slings being illustrated as in use on a patient, and the adjustable body slings beingillustrated in f ull lines as for normal resting of the pa.- tient upon the stretcher, and in'dotted lines asready for lifting the patients body up from the stretcher;

. slings; and

1926.' serial no. 115,882.

Fig. 2, an end elevation of the fracture bed wit-hout a patient;

Fig.l 3, a top plan view of the bed;

Fig. 4, a development of one of the body Fig. 5, a fragmentary section as on line 5 5, Fig. 3,.0f one of the adjustable, longitudinal bars provided withstrap handles by means of whlch the patient may raise himse f.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The improved fracture bed indicated generally at l0, includes a stationary top frame, indicated generally at 11, secured as at the top ends l2 of bed corner posts 13, and a inovablecrane frame indicatedgenerally at 14 below the top frame and movably supported therefrom as by means of cables 15,l pivotally secured at their lower ends -15' as by means of eye bolts 16 to the crane 'frame 14, the cables extending upwards and over pulleys l suitably journaled in the frame il, and laterally therefrom over pulleys 18 secured at' one end of the frame 11, and downward therefrom to winding drums 19 suitably keyed upon a preferablyl horizontal shaft 20, journaled in brackets 21 and 2l suitably mounted upon one pair of the end corner posts.

The bracket 21 also carries a wheel and worm reduction gear, indicated generally at 223, the Wheel being keyed to the shaft 20 and the worm having an'outwardly extending shaft 23 keyed thereto, which carries upon its outer end a sprocket wheel 24 operatively connected by means of a chain 25 with a sprocket pinion 26 suitably journaled in a bracket 27 mounted at one of the corner posts, the sprocket pinion 26 being provided with an outward extension 28 of its shaft which is keyed to an'operating crank 29.

A stretcher 30 is adjustably supported below the crane frame 14 as by means of ropes 3l pivotally secured at their lower ends to the corners of the stretcher as by means of harness snaps 32 removably connected to rings 33 welded to the stretcher frame, the stretcher frame including rectangularly arranged tubes 34 and 35, secured to each other.

The ropes 31 are pivotally and adjustably secured to the crane frame 14 as by means of eye bolts'V 36 having their eyes connected to the upper ends of the ropes 31 and being lsupported upon the A'crane frame by means 110 of the adjustable nuts 37 screwed upon the bolt' ends of the eye bolts, the bolts extending through suitable apertures provided in the frame 14. 4

The adjustment of the nuts 37 is such that the stretcher 30 normally rests upon the mattress 38, which in turn is supported by bed springs 39 in a usual manner.

A plurality of slings including leg slings 40, and body. slin s 41, are adjustably and movabl supported from the crane frame, intermediate-thecrane frame and the stretcher. The crane frame 14 may include longitudinal angle side members 42 secured at their ends Also-brackets 43 slidably mounted upon the corner posts 18, and secured to crane trame end angle members 44. j'

'llhe angle members 42 arepreterably provided with a plurality y of longitudinally vspaced apertures 45 for receiving pins 46 whlch adjustably secure the various cross crane members of the device to -the crane frame members 42.

rlhese cross crane members include a shaft 47 mounted in bearings 48 and carrying the leg sling supporting pulleys 49 slidably journaled thereon. Y

@ther cross crane members include a plurality of cross crane U-beams 50 adjustably secured at their ends 50 and 50 to t-he frame members 42 as by means of pins 46.

@ne-end 50 of each cross beam curves l upwardly and angularly to the cross beam v 52 is provided and supports a worm and wheel reduction gear 22, the worm shaft 23 extending longitudinally of the bed and carrying on its outer end a crank 51. and the wheel axis loe-` ing parallel with the cross U-beams and being keyed to a cross sling drum shaft 52 journaledat its other end in an angular extension of the {Ll-beam end 50. Each shaft with a-plurality of drums 53 ke ed thereon.

llpon the cross U-beam 50 nearestI the shaft 47 a pair of laterally adjustable hand wheel brackets 54 are mounted as by means of pins 55 interchangeably fitting in a plurality of apertures 56 provided in one leg .of the U-` beam.

Each bracket 54 carries at its upper end a journal 57 through which a lon itudinally extending screw 58 is slidably eyed, the

A screw 58 being upset at its end 58 nearest the shaft 47 and provided with an aperture 59.

The threaded hand wheel 60 whichl may be provided with a handle '61, is screwed upon the other end 58 of each screw 58, and the hand wheel reacts against the journal 57 of the bracket 54.

A rope 62 is secured at one end to the aperture 59 in the upset end 58 of each screw 58, and passes downwardly over one of the pulleys 49 upon the shaft 47, and is connected at its lower end with a dependmg adjustrod 69 supported upon a roller 7 0 mounted at the lower end of a depending yoke 71 to which the end of the rope 62 is secured.

Above therod 69 and parallel therewith, a longitudinal screw 72 is journaled for rotation in the cross bar 68 and provided at one endwith a thumb nut 7 3, and the screw 72 is screwed in a threaded aperture jin the yoke 71 above the roller 70.

Ropes 74 are secured at their upper ends to the drums 53 of the two shafts 52 nearest the leg slings, and provided at their loweil ends with harness snaps 32 for removable connection with' the supporting rings 75 of the body slings 41.

The drums 53 of the shaft 52 nearest the head of the bed, have secured thereto the upper ends of ropes 75 which are provided with hooks 76 .at'their lower ends, for removably hooking under the cross bar 7.7 of a back rest 7 8 pivotally connected to the stretcher frame as at 79.

A cross angle 80 may be adjustably sccured at its ends as by means of pins 46 intermediate the shaft 47 and the next `adjacent U-cross beam 50. rlhe cross angle 80 is provided with a pair of centrally located spaced U-bolts 81 depending therefrom, and each of the U cross -beams 50 are provided with a lateral slot 82 in which journals 83 are removably mounted as b mea-ns of studs 84 passing through the s ots and nuts 85 screwed upon the studs and resting upon washers 86 resting upon the U-beam.

The journals 83 depend from the studs 84 and the journal apertures are aligned with each other and with the depending U-bolts 81 providing supports for a pair of spaced longitudinal bars 87.

At any desired location along the bars 87, strap handles 88 may be located and removably strapped around the bars 87 by means of buckles 89, providing adjustable means by which the patient may raise 4himself by grasping the handles with his hands.

As illustrated inFig. 1', a patient X may have sulered fractures of both legs below the knee, and his legs as illustrated, have been set in casts 90.

In a type of fracture bed heretofore in use, each leg has been supported from a stationary frame above the bed mattress by means of a single rope'having its upper end tied to the frame and its lower end tied around splints in which the cast rested.

generally at 63, sup-v with a fracture of one leg thus suspended was' more than doubly enhanced when` both legs happened to be fractured and were suspended by single ropes, as heretofore described, since it was then practically impossible to properly balance both legs at the same time. Moreover, even though an instantaneous balance were attained, any. slight motion of the patients Vbody incident to treatment, nursing or mere movement foi` comfort, would immediately imbalance the legs thus supported at concen-v trated points.

Moreover such a fracture bed was not provided with any means for lifting the body of the patient while nursing or treating him or whilel changing the bed clothes and the like, and any such lifting had to be done by one or more attendants.

Moreover, the pivotal back rest usually provided, was not adapted for fine' angularadjustment.

By the arrangement and construction of 'the fracture bed as heretofore described, the

leg slings 40 rovide distributed supports-for the casts and) legs may be balanced at will by manipulation ofthe thumb nut 73 either by the attend# ant or by the patient himself.

Moreover, the height of the sling 40 relative to the mattress of the bed may be varied at will by manipulation: of thehand wheel-60, vthus enabling the legs to be maintained at all times in positions most comfortable to the patient and most conducive to rapid knitting of the fractured bones.`

By means of the ropes 74 wound about the drums 53 rotatable by operation of the crank handles 51 and having at their lower ends the harness snaps 32 which removabl hooklinto `the rin 75 of the body slings 41, t e atients whole ody may be lifted up at will rom the stretcher and the-mattress, enabling rearrangling ofuthe bed clothes, and nursing and treatment as'desired.

By means of the ropes 7 5 wound about the drums 53 of the shaft 52 nearest the head end of the bed and provided at their lower ends with hooks 76 hooked under the cross bar 77 of the pivoted back rest 78, any angular adjustment may be made and maintained for the pivotedback rest; so that by the use of the lifting and balancing mechanism for the leg slings and the angular adjustment for the back rest, any desired relationship between the positions of the patients legs and the re'- legs, and the slings, casts and4 mainingv portions of his body may be made and maintained.

The slings for the fractured members and the other parts of the patients body and the adjustment for the pivoted back rest are all operated by mechanism located on the adjustable crane frame 14 which may be elevated or lowered at will by turning crank handle 29, which through the heretofore described gearing will raise and lower the ropes 15 which sup ort the crane frame 14.

e stretcher 30 being supported b means of ropes 31 from the frame 14, may ikewise be elevated or lowered with the frame 14 by operation of the handle 29, thereby enabling turning or changing of themattress 38, and the like.

An improved fracture bed embodying the invention herein and of the foregoing description has been used by a patient suifering from fractures of both legs below the knee, followin temporary and very uncomfortable and inconvenient use of an old style fracture bed heretofore described. The use of the improved fracture bed very materially increased the comfort of the patient and facilitated nursing and treatment.

. I claim 1. In a fracture bed 'and the like, an adjustably supported sling including a band, a plurality of su portin links secured to each of opposite edges of t e band, cross bars connecting opposite links, a rod connecting ltlie cross bars, a yoke slidably supporting the rod, and means for adjusting the position -of the yoke on the rod.

2. In afracture bed and the like, band means providing support for a vfractured member substantially throughout the entire length of the fractured member, and means for adjustably balancing the supporting means, and including a suspending. member and screw means connecting the support with the suspending member and ada ted for varying the longitudinal position o the suport with reference to the suspending memer.

3. In a fracture' bed and the like, a bed frame, a movable frame mounted on the bed frame, a support for a fractured member substantially throughout theentire length of thevfractured member including band means, and means for adjustabl raising and lower ing thepsupport and inc uding a suspending member, a journal secured to the movable frame, a screw longitudinally extending through the journal and slidably keyed to the journal, the screw bein connected to the suspending member and a land wheel threadably mounted on the screw and bearing against the journal for producing longitudinal motion of the screw to raise and lower the support.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

. y HENRY D. 

